Controlling device for automobiles.



I. L. HECHT. CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR` AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 31 1913.

1204,@ l 4 Patented Nov. T, 1916.

www? 'X1/ff@ TNTTED STATES PATENT @TFTQEO JULIUS L. HECHT, F EVAN-STON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 01E' ONE-HALF TO EDT/BLIND O. SCHWEI'IZER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINDIS.

CONTROLLNG DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

i ,aerei i.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 7. lutti- Application led October 31, 1913. Serial No. 798,432.

To all lwhom it may concern Beit known that l. TULiUs L. Hncn'r, a citizen ot the United States, residing at Evanston, in the county of Cool; and State ot Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in (ontrolling Devices -t'or Automobiles, ot which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part or' this speciiication.

My invention relates to controlling devices for automobilesfand has for its object the provision ot an improved device which is responsive to the speed of the automobile, and which electrically prevents the driving' of the car beyond a certain predetermined speed.

In one of the forms of my invention, I use a speed responsive device which when a predetermined speed has been reached, renders inoperable some part of the motor mechanism of the machine as tor instance by opening the circuit of the driving motor in the case/ot an electrically operated vehicle. I will describe this embodiment of my invention more in detail by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which the single. figure of the drawings illustrates diagram maticall'fv an embodiment of my invention in an electric vehicle.

Referring more particularly to the Figure, show diagrammatically an automobile wheel 1 which through the agencyot the flexible shaft Q controls the position of a rotatingl speed responsive element 3. The mechanism interposed between the flexible shaft 2 and the element 3 is not shown as it may be ci" any suitable torni so that the elev ment 3 changes its angular position in accordance with the change of speed oit the wheel l. A pointer 3 movable conjointly with this speed responsive device 3 may indicate to the operator of the car the speed at which it is traveling'. This speed responsive element 8 has a pair of contacts 4, 4l adapted after having rotated clockwise a 'predetermined distance to close the circuit through cooperating contacts 5, Vilhcn this circuit is thus closed the operating circuit of the vehicle is rendered ineffective as will be described.

The vehicle is provided with a motor 34 adapted to be operated from a storage battery 35 through the interposition of a suitable controller shown diagramlnatically at BG. This circuit from the storage battery to the motorincludes a conductor 87. rThis conductor is provided with switch elements B8, 38 adapted to be controlled by a movable switch element; 3S). The movable switch element is attached to a plunger l0 ot a solenoid il, which solenoid ll is included in circuit with a conductor 42 under the control of the speed responsive element 3. This conductor l2 together with the solenoid il may receive its current from the storage battery 35 as will be clear from the illustration. Now whenever the speed exceeds the critical. limit, then the solenoid #il is energized to attract'its plunger s0, thereby to open the circuit through the storage battery and motor, thus to prevent the supply of further current to the prime mover of the device, and hence to check the speed of the vehicle.

it is to be noted that the starting current drawn by the motor 34 from the battery 35 may attain very high values. It is therefore essential that the switch 38, 39 be made of substantial construction and of relatively large capacity in order to carry the heavy current without injury or deterioration. The solenoid L.l0 which is employed to operate the switch is made powerful enough to open the switch quickly and positively and is connected directly across the' battery 35 when the contacts 4l, 5 are closed. In this -manner a reliable but simple control is provided. The speed cont-rolled element 3 is :tree of rictional engagement up to the point when the contacts et, 5 close the control circuit. This permits the instrument 17 to operate with precision up to the point of exercising control a'lter which the speed drops in normal operation due to the absence of driving power. The provision et the member 8 independent of the pointer 3 permits of suiicient current passing through the contacts 4, 5, to operate the solenoid 40 and the c0ntrol switch 38, 39, in a definite positive manner without injuring` the pointer 3a.

From what has been described it will be seen that l have provided simple and eiiiw cient electrically controlled means to prevent undue speed of a selt-propelled electric vehicle or the like. Tt is oie course obvious that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as herein disclosed and set forth.

Having however thus described several willediments which my invention may take, e .l claim as new unil (lesive to secure by une Patent is:

i3 .fm electric vehicle having au electric m0- :n slm-nge battery foi' supplying current f* iti metm, u solenoid operable from said ge buttery for controlling the circuit tu Suhl storage battery to seid motor, E@ Said selenoid having :1 plunger, e speedisiiiietei' lmvug i1 pointer mevable in accordance will the change of speed of said vehi- 1;` =7 Contact elements to control the Circuit through Suiul solenoid, and e movable conl Witnesses:

A. L. JONES, HAZEL ANN JONES. 

